Today I’m taking a break from real estate to spotlight another great local business: Nelo’s Cycles & Coffee, located in Northwest Austin. Joining me to talk about this cozy coffee and bike shop is owner Nelo Breda.

Nelo chose this neighborhood to start his business nine years ago due to its friendliness and convenience. As we always say in real estate, location is key, and right across the street from Nelo’s, you’ll find Anderson High School—one of the top high schools in Austin. This location is also very accessible to downtown.

Cycling culture is huge here in Austin, and Nelo believes that having the University of Texas in town plays a big role in this. Nelo’s also supports and participates in the weekly Driveway Series bicycle race, which is open to the public and is great fun for beginner cyclists.

Nelo chose this neighborhood to start his business nine years ago due to its friendliness and convenience.

I’ve spoken with many homeowners in this area, and they all know and speak highly of this shop, which Nelo attributes to their friendliness and honesty.

If you’d like to know more about Nelo’s, you can visit their website Neloscycles.com.

As always, if you have any real estate questions for me or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home soon, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

Fifteen years ago, Rainy Street was full of hundred-year-old bungalows that were falling down. In the last couple of years, this unique part of town has been transformed into what’s now a cultural hotspot here in Austin.

Rainy Street’s transformation made way for a friend of mine, Chris Bostick, to create the Half Step Bar. Today, I’m at the bar with Chris to talk about the story of how he took one of Rainy Street’s dilapidated bungalows and quickly turned it into what is considered one of America’s top cocktail bars.

Why did he decide on this area?

Even back then, Chris predicted that this area was going to blossom due to factors like the South by Southwest conference, and the progression of drinking culture in the area. These key indicators told him that the property might be worth taking a gamble on.

Before the Half Step Bar was born, there were a few bars in the area already. The property that now houses the bar, according to Chris, was once a crack house. Looking back six years ago when he began renovating it, it’s amazing to see how far this place has come.

Austin is a central area for nightlife, which naturally attracts a lot of bars, but Half Step has become one of the top bars not just in the area, but in the nation. So what sets them apart?

Through the Half Step Bar, Chris has found the ability to bring together two worlds that he’s lived in: one with nicer, upscale cocktail bars, and the other with live music clubs. The marriage of those two atmospheres allowed the business to evolve and become a unique presence in a city known for its live music scene.

They have both an indoor stage and an outdoor stage for musicians, they serve incredible cocktails, and they have an awesome ice program—none of it is meant to be precious, but rather fun and relaxed. Half Step is the kind of place, Chris says, where he would want people to bring their parents to show off. The fact that they’re able to foster community, pay artists, and have regular showcases suggests to Chris that Austin doesn’t want to lose its artists. It’s great that Austin is growing and that property values are rising, but Chris maintains that we should all do our part to support the local artists and musicians that have helped make Austin what it is today.

And he’s right—though Austin is popular, there is an issue with affordability for artists, and a lot of times, they can’t even afford to stay here in the city they helped to make popular. It’s really nice that there are people like Chris out here. As he says, “You don’t want to kill the golden goose.”

As a real estate agent, I always notice little architectural details in the bar that I find really cool, like burnt slats, shiplap, and vintage tin ceilings. Chris says that the original property was pretty run-down and required pretty much a full remodel. He left the front facade and the north elevation standing, and to honor the original structure, he left some of the original shiplap. The tin in the ceilings came from an architectural salvage yard, and he traded cash and a beer tab for a beadboard that came from a house nearby. Some of the new elements he brought in were chosen to prevent the home from looking like a “Disney-esque replica.” He wanted the aesthetic to convey warmth, vibrancy, and soul.

Chris maintains that we should all do our part to support the local artists and musicians that have helped make Austin what it is today.

At Half Step, the ice is nice; it’s a big part of what they do for their drinks at the bar. If you think of ice as taking up a quarter or a third of the cocktail, when it starts to melt, the quality of the water and temperature the ice helps to regulate become as important to consider as the alcohol itself. They’ve become well-known for their large, clear cubes of ice, which cool more of the drink per their surface area. These cubes are also quite dense, meaning they dilute the drink at a slower rate, providing for a consistent drinking experience.

Chris’ attention to detail is apparent in all aspects of Half Step, from the appearance and atmosphere to the care that he puts into all his drinks. It’s not a surprise at all to see how successful he has become.

I highly encourage you to stop by the Half Step Bar if you’re ever in the area. In the meantime, if you have any questions about real estate, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Gregory Group. We’d love to help.

I spoke with economist Ted Jones about what we could expect from our Austin real estate market this year. Ted gives us his forecast each year, and what he told us in 2018 was incredibly accurate; 2019’s predictions should be similarly credible. If you’d like to see the PDFs he shared with us, take a look here and here.

When people have jobs, they’re able to buy homes. When more jobs are created, more homes are needed for people to buy. We saw an acceleration of job growth in 2018, and Ted says he sees no recession on the horizon.

He uses leisure and hospitality jobs as predictors—they show where people are spending money (and where jobs are needed to accommodate business growth). That sector has seen a 1.89% job growth year over year, which is a great sign. We’ve also seen a 3.2% wage growth over last year, and unemployment is at 3.9%. Because of tax cuts, 90% of people will pay less in taxes this year—a lot of that extra money goes right back into real estate.

Existing home sales have gone down for two reasons: Interest rates have gone up and prices have risen. Rates are in the mid-4% range, which is higher than last year. As home prices increase, people can’t afford as much when they purchase homes. Currently, the biggest group of homebuyers are millennials—13.6% of homes were bought by them last year. That number will continue increasing in the future.

As long as jobs keep coming to Austin, the market will keep going up.

Job growth in the Austin area increased 3.39% year over year. We see headlines about big companies coming to Austin all the time, and I’m sure you’ve seen that Apple will be building a new campus here soon. The biggest gross sectors in the region are in oil and gas; this is one of the first years that America has become a net exporter of these goods.

Interest rates are expected to rise; Ted predicts rates will be somewhere between 5.1% to 5.7% by June. That’s a big increase from where we are now. Though Ted is a little more aggressive in his prediction, the general consensus is that rates will be at least 5%.

Commercial markets are also an indicator of our market—when businesses are buying space, it’s a good thing. We’re among the top five commercial markets.

After everything Ted shared with me, 2019 shows no signs of a slowdown in our real estate market or economy. As long as jobs keep coming to Austin, the market will keep going up.

If you have any questions or need more information, feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

When we were expecting our first child, my wife and I started planting organic food. My garden was recently featured on “Central Texas Gardener” and I wanted to share the full segment with you today.

After we moved into our home, we added good soil and compost to resurrect the beds and after a few seasons, everything looked perfect. Since then, I’ve been able to do so many different things with this garden. I’m currently trying some self-watering flowers. Pretty much everything is grown from seed and we keep our own compost and use it throughout the year.

I love being able to feed my family with delicious, organic produce.

We have herbs like oregano and basil, as well as multiple kinds of peppers. We try to eat as fresh as we can, and I try to plant as many hard-to-find vegetables and herbs as possible. I love being able to feed my family with delicious, organic produce that I grew from tiny seeds.

If you have any questions about my garden or about real estate in general, don’t hesitate to reach out and give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

For today’s business spotlight, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at Dolce Neve Gelato—an amazing local gelato shop located in one of Austin’s coolest neighborhoods, Bouldin Creek.

Dolce Neve is one of my favorite places in the city, and, once you try it, it’s sure to be one of yours too. Not only is their gelato delicious, it’s also authentic. Co-owner Marco Silvestrini is native to Italy, and he has an amazing story.

After moving from his home country to New York, Marco worked in the corporate world for some time. Eventually, though, he got burnt out. He was tired of that lifestyle. So he decided to make a change and do something he was truly passionate about—he decided to open a gelato shop.

But Marco knew opening a shop in New York City would be a major risk. He wanted to find a better location before launching this new idea into reality. To get a better sense of where he should go, he began asking around among his close friends, and, in 2012, they led him right here to Austin. Marco absolutely fell in love with the city and has been here ever since.

“People here are super friendly,” says Marco. He cites this, and the many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, as to why Austin holds such a special place in his heart. He says that these things “make it easy to be happy here.”

It was so interesting to learn these things about Marco, himself, but passion alone isn’t what makes his gelato so delicious. So what’s his secret?

Dolce Neve is a must-try Austin treat—you’ll fall in love at first bite.

According to Marco, one of the main reasons his gelato is so good is the quality of the ingredients he and his team use to create it. They only use the best ingredients in their recipes.

Their gelato is also lower in fat and sugar than what you might find elsewhere. And, because they don’t rely on any artificial preservatives, their gelato is always fresh.

The gelato made here is a labor of love. The process to create it is intense, but definitely results in a product Marco says he and his team can be proud of.

Ultimately, Dolce Neve is a must-try Austin treat—you’ll fall in love at first bite. To learn more about Dolce Neve, including information about the hours, location, and menu, visit their website: https://www.dolcenevegelato.com/.

And, as always, if you’d like more information or have any other questions, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

During my recent guest appearance on “The American Dream,” I highlighted a very special neighborhood that not many people are aware of. I’m talking about Spanish Oaks. This gated, golf course community is a great hidden gem in the Texas hill country.

Nature lovers will be sure to appreciate the beauty and charm Spanish Oaks has to offer. And with its hiking and biking trails, its 18-hole, award-winning golf course, and the Austin Tennis Academy right outside of its perimeter, there is no shortage of things to do there, either.

Another great way to spend the day in Spanish Oaks is the “Fish Camp”—a quaint, picturesque place to cast your line in the lake that sits in the center of the neighborhood. The Spanish Oaks neighborhood truly lends itself to a luxury, indoor/outdoor lifestyle.

Of course, its beautiful location and numerous entertainment options aren’t all it has to offer. The local schools are also top notch. Lake Travis ISD, for example, is consistently rated as one of the top districts in the state. Their academic standards are absolutely stellar, and their athletic department shines just as bright.

It’s no wonder why Spanish Oaks is such an incredible place to call home.

The Lake Travis High School football team has won the state championship competition for something like five or six of the last 10 years. In fact, the last Heisman Trophy winner, Baker Mayfield, was a graduate of Lake Travis. It’s no wonder why Spanish Oaks is such an incredible place to call home.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

As we move into fall, many people have been asking me for an update on our real estate market.

Overall, the market is still doing well. Prices have increased between 4% and 5% year over year. The average number of days listings are spending on the market has also gone up, but only slightly—having gone from 19 days this time last year to an average of 20 days this past month.

Fewer homes have been selling overall, but this is largely due to our current low inventory. Just since last year there has been an approximate 10% drop in the number of available homes.

To help alleviate this, there are a lot of new construction communities going up all over town, including new condo developments.

With all of this in mind, people are wondering what to expect from our market in the future. To tell you the truth, it’s hard to say what exactly will happen. Real estate markets work in cycles, and right now we’re either nearing the peak of that cycle or we’re just on the other side of it.

Growth in our Austin market is more organic than elsewhere around the country, so we can expect conditions to remain strong even if a shift does occur.

Different markets throughout the country experience their own trends, but we’re all expecting to see a shift very soon. However, I’m still fairly optimistic about the future of our Austin market, specifically.

Homebuyers tend to move to our area because of our culture and job opportunities, and these are two factors that our market conditions won’t change. Growth in our Austin market is more organic than elsewhere around the country, so we can expect conditions to remain strong even if a shift does occur.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

I’m here at Argus Cidery in Southwest Austin to take a closer look at what they’ve got going on. Co-Owner Jeff Mickel joined me to talk about how the business they started in 2010 has grown in the years since.

Argus Cidery was actually the first Cider House in Texas. When they began, Jeff’s business partner took the apples that farmers couldn’t sell at the market, which became the first wines they worked with. They still press, age, and produce delicious wines on site that they sell exclusively out of their tap room.

They produce a sparkling, Spanish-style cider.

Following the Spanish, Argus Cidery uses fermented fruit that is free of any added sugar or fortification. To make it original, they add sparkle to create their sparkling cider.

They moved to their current site in 2011, and since then, there have been four distilleries, four breweries, and another cider house on the way, all of which have been built in the immediate area surrounding Fitzhugh Road. Their growth has created a strip of artisan fermenters that you can come take a look at in the hill country just 30 minutes from downtown. If you haven’t had the chance to come out here to check out Argus Cidery and some of the other businesses around here, you should really check them out.

If you have any other questions for me about the real estate market in the meantime, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

If you are looking to purchase a home, today’s special guest, Richard Stone of CMG Financial, has some information that could help you save money in the process. There are three specific assistance programs Richard has to share.

1. Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation’s Down Payment Assistance Program. Anyone purchasing a home as a primary residence can make use of this program. You do not have to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify. This program offers 4% of free money in down payment assistance. After six months, the money this program provides becomes yours.

2. Seth GoldStar Program. This program gives you 7% and allows you to cover closing costs, your down payment, your lender fees, and more. The primary requirement is that you have a 680 credit score.

Anyone purchasing a home as a primary residence can make use of the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation’s Down Payment Assistance Program.

3. HomeFundMe Program. This program is an easy way to crowdsource your down payment and closing costs. It essentially means your friends and family will be able to donate money toward these expenses.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

]]>https://www.gregorygrouptx.com/blog/3-assistance-programs-make-home/feed/0Exciting Developments Coming to North Austin in the Near Futurehttps://www.gregorygrouptx.com/blog/austins-downtown-of-the-future/
https://www.gregorygrouptx.com/blog/austins-downtown-of-the-future/#respondTue, 12 Jun 2018 18:21:57 +0000https://www.gregorygrouptx.com/?p=7908

Northwest Austin is already a bustling business district. With even more development in the works, it might just become Austin’s downtown of the future.

Today I wanted to give you a closer look at what’s quickly becoming known as “Austin’s Second Downtown.” We’re talking about North Austin and, in particular, The Domain area.

Back in the late 90s, there was really nothing in this area. In 1999, however, a company called Endeavor Real Estate purchased the land where The Domain now sits. Their plan was to build a big tech campus during the dot-com boom. That boom became a bubble in the early 00s, so the owners pivoted and it ended up becoming the wonderful retail space we know today.

Everybody loves The Domain, but what some people don’t know is that there is a lot of commercial space in this area and more coming soon. A lot of companies have put campuses up in this area and a lot more are coming. Right now, there are 11 office towers that are filled now or being filled soon, with three more planned or being built currently.

The Domain is on the fast track to becoming the place to work and live in Austin. Whether it’s in the apartments there or the neighborhoods within a couple miles, many people currently live or are moving to the area. Many downtown companies are seeing the benefits of adding campuses out here.

The Domain is on the fast-track to becoming the best place to work and live in Austin.

Another thing that could continue to drive North Austin in the coming years is the Robinson Ranch. It’s a big piece of empty land on the southwest corner of Mopac Expressway and TX-45. Right now, all you’ll really see is some heavy machinery and mining operations, but it’s essentially a big, vacant lot.

This 7,000-acre ranch is owned by the Robinson family and they have been exploring ideas and meeting with developers to see what it would be like to put a massive planned community out there. The land here is the size of 10 Domains. There’s also a 27-acre plot of land just southeast of The Domain. This area is being considered as a possible Major League Soccer stadium site. This would be another huge boost to our economy in Northwest Austin.

If you have any questions about this topic or anything else related to real estate, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.